To the Edge of the World and Back
by Leilita
Summary: When Buffy discovers Riley's true loyalties, the entire Scooby gang hits the road, bound for an adventure that takes them from the back streets of New York City to the upper echelons of the government. BS


Author's Note: During Season 4 of Buffy. Rated R for strong violence. As you know, all of the characters belong to Joss, not me. PLEASE review. I really need feedback. Rants are fine. Good even! I just want to know how I can improve. Here goes...  
  
To the Edge of the World and Back  
  
"This is bloody freezing!" Spike shouted, referring to the cup of blood he had just received. "I specifically told you that I wanted it at 98.6!"  
  
Giles rolled his eyes from the living room and turned the TV up louder.  
  
"Giles!" A pause. "Come on! I can't drink this!"  
  
"Maybe once you tell us some useful information you'll get it heated."  
  
Giles jumped slightly at the voice, spinning around. His face immediately relaxed when he saw Buffy staring, quite amused, back at him.  
  
She raised an eyebrow. "Nervous?"  
  
He sighed reluctantly and shrugged hopelessly. "Yes actually." He removed his glasses and rubbed the bridge of his nose. "With the," he paused and searched for the word the teenagers had given the army men. "Commandos, is it?"  
  
Buffy nodded.  
  
"With them looking for Spike, I can never be too careful."  
  
She removed her jacket and wandered toward the small kitchen, opening the refrigerator and scanning the contents. She finally decided on a hardboiled egg and began to peel it over the disposal.  
  
"Relax," Buffy said, her tone suggesting otherwise. "They have no idea where he is."  
  
Giles took in her haggard expression and slid into the stool across from the sink. "You look funny, honey. You okay?"  
  
Buffy stopped peeling and finally met his gaze. When she spoke her voice was quiet and sad. "Riley's one of the commandos," she confessed uneasily.  
  
"Oh lord," Giles breathed out. "Buff I'm so sorry. I know you-  
  
She put up a hand to silence him. "No," she said firmly and then seemed to deflate before his eyes. "No," she said again, only so softly that he had to strain his ears to hear.  
  
She concentrated on the egg as she talked. "I mean I have a secret identity too. I can't exactly hold him at fault for that, can I?"  
  
Giles looked at her sadly. "Buffy-  
  
"It's just he was supposed to be normal. Mr. Joe Regular. We were supposed to be a normal couple, except you know I'd have to leave a little bit early to save the world on our dates. I can't believe the love of my life is one of them. I thought we were soul mates, but now I don't even know who he is."  
  
Buffy looked dazed, Giles noted to himself. He could see her fighting for control.  
  
"And now? This just goes to show that I'm not meant to do anything remotely normal. I finally fall for a guy and he turns out to hang out in graveyards too." Her voice was tinged with anger.  
  
"You saw him?"  
  
"Yeah. He was with some guys from school and they were decked out in their army gear," she told him distractedly.  
  
"Did they see you?" Giles couldn't keep the worry from tracing his features.  
  
"No, I was hiding behind a crypt. They were out looking for Spike. They didn't understand how he could possibly still be alive until they realized that he could get blood from the blood banks."  
  
Giles nodded slowly. "I still don't understand why we're keeping him."  
  
"He can lead us to this place. We need to find out what we're dealing with and we can't do that if we can't find them."  
  
Spike picked that minute to shout out that his nose itched and that somebody should come in and scratch it.  
  
They both rolled their eyes in annoyance. "Well, um, as much as I'd love to stay here and listen to Spike wine I have a paper due tomorrow that I need to finish."  
  
She met his gaze once and then turned on her heel and started for the door. Giles got the impression she needed time to sort things out. He intended to give her as much time as she needed.  
  
Buffy deserved that much.  
  
"I'm sorry this happened," he told her again, causing her to stop, with her hand poised at opening the door, and take a deep sigh.  
  
She waited a second and then said slowly, without turning around, "I'll check in with you tomorrow before patrol."  
  
The door slammed shut as he watched her leave.  
  
As Buffy drifted off to sleep that night, she thought of her time at Giles' and how much it had affected her. Her troubled mind went into a trance and soon she was sound asleep...  
  
Buff ran into Giles' apartment.  
  
"Yo, G-man!"  
  
Giles sighed. "What is it this time, Buffy?"  
  
Faith, cleavage gaping, stepped out from behind the bathroom door. She cocked her head and asked, "Yeah B, what's the sitch?"  
  
"I'm not sure, girlfriend, but something wacky was going down at Shady Hill Cemetery," she said. "I ran into this totally messed up demon who had like three horns."  
  
"Wicked," Faith said admiringly. "I wish I had been there, B."  
  
Giles rolled his eyes. "Wicked, indeed. You could have been seriously injured Buffy. Let's look it up in my infinite stack of books, and we must call Willow to help and Xander to go on a donut run. This could take all night."  
  
Buffy sank dejectedly into a seat. "Awe man. I hate books."  
  
"Yo, me too B. They mega suck."  
  
"Yes, they suck," Buffy agreed, tears welling in her eyes.  
  
Giles' glared at the two slayers. "Now settle down you two. Books are a valuable resource in the destruction of all evil. I mean, think of life without the bible? People would never have come to know our great Lord God, Jesus – King of the Jews who died to save us all!"  
  
Faith looked abashed. "Oh dear! That would be horrendous!"  
  
Buffy scoffed. "I worship the devil. Satan is my only one true god."  
  
"Buffy, I have told you time and time again. DO NOT WORSHIP THE DEVIL! HE IS OUR ENEMY!"  
  
"Awe man, but he's so fucking cool!"  
  
She shot awake! "Oh man, what's Faith doing in G-man's apartment? And why did Giles' tell me to stop worshipping the devil? He's so fucking cool! But why would I trash talk the Lord? I'm a devout worshiper! This just doesn't make sense..."  
  
To be continued. Will Buffy worship the devil? Or will she succumb to the powers of Christ? You'll just have to wait and see. 


End file.
